The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-10-26

|
ing. and his brother 30 deplorably close
| listed, that he had made up his nina 70
secure Mrs. Sllyerton a all hazards. ana ana
with the least possible dsiagii WHEN When
reused be was dangerous, aid was quite
Irotber-in-law. Moreover, Crasher knew
certain things about Rapless', past life when
he had not vet revealed to his sister, AMI
which might cause anentiFe rcvulsion in that
| lady's feelings. So Mr.: Rapless deteTmlned
| to induce her TO elope with him, and lad ms
plans for that object wi tn much forethought.
lie first went to interview MS p. brothei, 'ns
leaving town for his moor IN Scotland. Ills
greeting was not cordial one.
Money again, Percy, | suppose, said
| Lord Cotfert0n; if that's your game, my
what fellow you are to jump at concclu-
sionsw replied Mr.. Rapless, pleasantly;
"nOthing OF the sort, | assure you, only
small favor want"
'sWeil, if it costs nothing, may oblige
| yogI " said his lordsHip Wariiy.
| Its only to ask Major Crasher and me up
| to your plice 10 shoot"
why should Ii don't even know the
man.
''Yes, You do. introduced him to you at
| the Octagon.n
"How the deuce can I remember everyone
who gets introduced to me at those pot
houges?" growed Lord Cofferton. - Explain
why you want him asked. nro@ y
Mr.. Rapless did explain, and, to his great
astonishment, Major Crasher received the
next morning polite note from Lord Golfer,
ton asking him tUstay, few weeks at Covert
| Castle, his lordshlp'S shooting box IN Suther-
landshire. The major, though much Hat
tered, felt somewhat suspicious, and he
asked Mr.. Rapless about the invitation be-
fole answering it. .,
"Oh, he told me he should ask you," said
Repless,, inditferently: 'he heard you were
deuced good shot"
Are you golng7" inquired the major art-
fully. ..,o.
So the affair was settled, and Grasher ac-
cepted the invitation with much pleasure"
This done, Mr.. Rapless devoted his ener-
gies 20 making the tiercest possible love to
Mrs. Silverton during the few days which
preceded his departure. The time Was tav,
orable; Langton was absent on circuit. and
had been, If anything. more taelturn and IN
comprehensive, than, ever. of late. The
the more willing to listen to Rapless' tale. of
devotion. The major was much occupied
with his tailor and gunmaker, and the Hon.
Percy made such good use OF his time that
he succeeded in persuading the widow to
with the innocent Crasher, he depart
ed for Scotland, swearing eternal con-
stancy. But Crasher, before leaving, took
the precaution to bribe Mrs. Silvcrtons but.
Ter to inform him, without fail. Of all that
tic the major enjoyed himself immensely:
the. shooting was capital the liquor and
cookery beyond reproach, and the. company
genial. week passed. very quickly, and
breakfast S his host told him that Mr.. Rapess
" had received telegram summonllns him to
London, and had left by an early train.
He left message saying 1t was a great
bore, "said Lord CotFerton, but that he'd
be back in three days or 3d."
And with this assurance tue major was
forced so be content. though he felt a pre-.
sentiment Of coming danger.
Meanwhile Mrs. Silyerton was finding ex
istence distinctly dull. Without being ex
terested her, and she missed him very much.
IangtOn made no sign, and her other adj
miIeis wearied her. She longed, in fact fol
J some fresh excitement, and when the Hon.
I Percy suddenly made his appearance, at 6
much earlier date than she had expected
him, he met with an unusually cordial greet
''What has brought you back so soon ?" she
: inquired.
, course replied. knd then MY. Rapless sum
moned TO his aid all his powers of persuasion
and with many vows and protestations O.
eternal love and undying devotion, he i'm
plored her to elope with him. At first she re
. came more pressing. her resistance became
feebler. Why not! she reflected. Life hat
( become bore of late; her lover was hand
: some, fascinating, and Of undeniable family
an eopement was exciting and romantic, al
ordinary marriage woud be a hnmdrum af
t ffair, and that inconvcniens bro her of hers
would be certain to make himself nuisance
Besides, she would be revenged upon Lang
t ton. who had ghamefully neglected her. Fin
i ally, she promised to give definite. answer
the next day, and Rapless departed in tai
umph, knowing that the battle was won.
| He called pretty early the following morn
ing, and everything was settled satisfactorily
After many protests, she consented to star
they would cross to Paris, where she coult
. stay with some friends until a marriage b,
/ special license could be arranged the cere
mony over, they would 20 on to Switzerland
| honeymoon. He was forbidden to call agar
!, NJ Gur2on street, or to attempt to see her be
! fore, they met Mt the station; the interva
. would be spent BY both III making their re
c fpectiye preparations. so Rapless departed
D to see. his lawyer, raise some money, and Ia.
' i'll a stock of cigarettes and other necessar1e
r for Contineut;,i travel. In tie afternoon h
: went to his club, and feeling som what sen
, timental, filled up the interval before Dime
; by writing to the widow very rapturou
Q cpistie, in which, after describing at som
1 length the bliss he would experience in call
: ing her his own, he alluded to the appoint
= ment at Charing-cross, and lmplored her no
p toplay him false. This letter reached Mrs
4 writing in her. houdoir. The butler, VIII
g brought the missiye, noticed that she ha
= recently been CRYING: his suspicious -wer
: aronsed, and he determined -remenlbern
Major Grasher'a instrne tions-to keep hiseye
t open. So, When. his mistress HAD gone to bed
q the trrlsty retainer went to the room wher
i sue had been occupied, and after some search
r discovered eergaln fragInt hts in the. waste
: paper basket. which acquainted him with tn
+ Major Crasher; but a telegram would be ,lf
d er wired the dreadfttl. news to his pst:or,
i The majors feeliigs when he received tn
: telegram in bed at Govern Castle we're indc
d scribable. II cursed and stamped round hi
v room for fully an hour before he could Dc
IS wise any scheme to thwart Mr.. Raplcs
:. treacherous design. He consulted 'BraG
y shaw" III vain; 1t was impossible for him t
$ train had left. At last an idea flash d acros
. his brain. He dressed hurriedly, rushed t
4 the stables, borrowed q horse and galfope
i wildly toward the nearest town.
Z
y must now return to Mr.. Rapleas, and hi
i preparations for flight. He woke late on tn
fatetul morning, and remembered tina
t he still had a, great deal to do be
4 run the risk Of writ ne ereut regpo, and hi
creditors were watching him. The lawye
~ had not proved so accommodating aa h
could have wished no money WAS for,hcon
@ ing till IL O clock: and the post brought fres
= endorsements. He went to his club t
n breakfast. and, AS luck would have It, sat a
\ a table next to Mr.. John Langton, who ha
4 just returned from circuit. Now. Mr. Rar
less did not suspect Langtons devotion t
q the widow in the least. He looked upon hir
:, as harmless, good-natured individual, who's
only popularity was his dislike for women.
Hullo, Langtonm he said cordially
e 'thought You were away"
:, just got back, replied the other; 'goin
y away again this evening, though
80 am L." said the Hon. Percy, feeln
r half incuued to make confident; start a
sos from Charing- Cross
so do /. I'm going to Paris for bit, an
: then up the Rhine"
: THE Deuce you are!u
Yes: wish could get away sooner, but
| have an aDpOintInent at \